Infrared massage device

ABSTRACT

A heated massage therapy device has a hand-held housing, a mechanical vibration generator disposed within the housing, the mechanical vibration being transmitted to at least a heat-conductive, preferably infrared transparent portion thereof, and at least one source of infrared radiation disposed within the housing, the infrared radiation being applied to at least the heat-conductive portion of the housing. A corresponding number of first fresnel lenses formed in the heat portion of the housing concentrates infrared radiation such that it may more efficiently be applied to the user. Second fresnel lenses may be formed about all of the individual infrared radiation sources as a group to further concentrate the infrared radiation applied to the user. An infrared reflective member disposed proximate the infrared radiation sources reflects infrared radiation not incident upon the heat-conductive portion of the housing theretoward. Each of the infrared radiation sources may be substantially surrounded by a thermal conduction member which absorbs the infrared radiation radiated therefrom and conducts the heat generated thereby to the heat-conductive portion of the housing. Thus, the heated massage therapy device of the present invention provides a thermally efficient and effective means of applying infrared radiation in combination with mechanical vibration to selected portions of a user&#39;s anatomy.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/961,104,filed Oct. 13, 1992, now abandoned, which is a continuation appln. ofSer. No. 07/775,295, filed Oct. 10, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,130,issued Jan. 5, 1993.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to therapeutic devices, and moreparticularly to a heated massage therapy device for applying both heatand mechanical vibration to selected anatomical portions of a user'sbody.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Massage devices for applying mechanical vibration to selected anatomicalportions of a user's body are well known. Such massage devices typicallycomprise an electric motor having an eccentric weight attached to thearmature thereof for generating mechanical vibration which is thentransmitted to the housing of the device from which it may be applied tothe user. Contemporary massage therapy devices are recognized to provideincreased blood flow, nerve stimulation, and muscle relaxation. They arebelieved to improve the complexion and to reduce skin wrinkling. Thoseskilled in the art will recognize that many such therapeutic uses forvibratory massage therapy devices exist.

The benefits of heat therapy in various medical and cosmeticapplications are likewise well known. Heat therapy is commonly performedto increase circulation and promote healing of various traumaticinjuries, such as sprains, strains, and wounds. Heat may also be used incosmetic applications to improve the complexion and reduce wrinkling.

Although massage therapy devices are known which apply both heat andmechanical vibration to selected portions of a user's anatomy, the heatis typically applied through a body-contacting heat-conductive memberwhich does not provide for specific localization or concentration of theheat upon the heat-conductive member in a manner which optimizes thepotential therapeutic benefits achievable therefrom. That is, generallya heating element or infrared lamp causes an overall warming of theheat-conducting member in a manner which generally results insubstantially uniform heating thereof. However, it is believed that byconcentrating the heat to specific regions of the heat conductive memberof the massage therapy device, optimum therapeutic results are providedin a manner which most efficiently utilizes the heat generated thereby.

For example, undesirable heat loss to the remainder of the housing isminimized by concentrating the heat toward the center of theheat-conducting member, away from the edges thereof which contact theremainder of the housing. Such efficiency is particularly important inrechargeable devices wherein efficient use of the power supplied by thedevice's rechargeable batteries is of paramount importance. As such,although the prior art has recognized the benefits of administeringvibration and heat therapy, the proposed solutions have to date beenineffective in providing a satisfactory remedy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention specifically addresses and alleviates theabove-mentioned deficiencies associated in the prior art. Moreparticularly, the present invention comprises a heated massage therapydevice having a hand-held held housing, a means for generatingmechanical vibration disposed within the housing, the mechanicalvibration being transmitted to at least a heat-conductive, preferablyinfrared transparent, portion or window thereof, and at least one sourceof infrared radiation disposed within the housing, the infraredradiation being applied to at least the window of the housing.

First fresnel lenses formed in the window of the housing concentrateinfrared radiation such that it may more efficiently be applied to theuser. Second fresnel lenses may be formed about all of the individualinfrared radiation sources as a group to further concentrate theinfrared radiation applied to the user. Thus, heat is concentratedwithin a portion of the window, i.e. the center, where it is mostefficiently transferred to a user and heat loss to the remainder of thehousing is thereby minimized.

An infrared reflective member disposed proximate the infrared radiationsources reflects infrared radiation not incident upon theheat-conductive window of the housing theretoward. This increases theefficiency of heat transfer from the infrared sources to the window.Each of the infrared radiation sources may be substantially surroundedby a thermal conduction member or hollow post which absorbs the infraredradiation radiated therefrom and conducts the heat generated thereby tothe heat-conductive window of said housing. This further increases theefficiency of heat transfer from the infrared sources to the window.Thus, the heated massage therapy device of the present inventionprovides a thermally efficient and effective means of applying infraredradiation in combination with mechanical vibration to selected portionsof a user's anatomy.

These, as well as other, advantages of the present invention will bemore apparent from the following description and drawings. It isunderstood that changes in the specific structure shown and describedmay be made within the scope of the claims without departing from thespirit of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the heated massage therapy device of thepresent invention showing the device cradled within its stand and alsodepicting a standard power supply connectable thereto;

FIG. 2 is the heated massage therapy device and stand of FIG. 1depicting the device removed from the stand;

FIG. 3 is an elevational side view of the heated massage therapy device;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the heated massage therapydevice having the lens removed therefrom and showing the lamps, themotor, and the battery;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged bottom view (inside looking out) of the lens ofFIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of the lens of

FIG. 4 taken along lines 6 thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appendeddrawings is intended as a description of the presently preferredembodiment of the invention, and is not intended to represent the onlyform in which the present invention may be constructed or utilized. Thedescription sets forth the functions and sequence of steps forconstructing and operating the invention in connection with theillustrated embodiment. It is to be understood, however, that the sameor equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by differentembodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spiritand scope of the invention.

The heated massage therapy device of the present invention isillustrated in FIGS. 1-6 which depict a presently preferred embodimentof the invention. Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, the heated massage therapydevice 10 is comprised generally of a housing 36 having a handle portion18 and a head portion 20 and preferably divided into upper 56 and lower58 separately molded housing sections. A plurality of nipples 54 areformed upon the handle portion 18 of both the upper 56 and lower 58housing sections.

The heated massage therapy device 10 is cradled upon a base 12. A powersupply 14 supplies electrical power through a power cord 16 to the base12. A switch 52, preferably a three-position on-off switch, permits theuser to select either vibration or vibration with infrared heat. Thoseskilled in the art will recognize that various switch means may beprovided wherein the user may select various combinations of vibrationand infrared heat, including variations in intensity of either. Thestand 12 is comprised of an elevated portion 60 and a recess 62 whichreceive the heated massage therapy device 10 such that it may beconveniently grasped about the handle portion 18 thereof. A groove 41formed within the elevated portion 60 receives a portion of the handleportion 18 of the heated massage therapy device 10. The groove 41defines ears 43 disposed upon either side thereof which cradle thehandle portion 18 of the heated massage therapy device 10 to prevent itsinadvertent removal therefrom.

Electrical contacts 38 formed upon the handle portion 18 of the heatedmassage therapy device mate with corresponding electrical contacts 40formed upon the elevated portion 60 of the stand 12. The power cord 16preferably supplies electrical power through conductors (not shown)disposed within the base 12 directly to the contacts 40 such that noelectrical components are located within the stand 12.

Referring now to FIGS. 4-6, an electric motor 30 powered by arechargeable battery 34 effects rotation of an eccentric mass 32.Infrared radiation sources or lamps 24 are disposed upon a circuit board26 having an infrared reflective surface 28. A lip 50 is formed aboutthe head portion 20, thus defining the periphery of an opening 64 towhich infrared transparent body portion or removable window 22 attachesvia detents 42. A heat-conductive portion of the housing 36 or window 22is preferably comprised of an infrared transparent material. The window22 is further comprised of thermal conduction members or hollow posts 44extending downward therefrom which receive the lamps 24 therein suchthat the lamps radiate a substantial portion of their infrared radiationthereupon.

Individual fresnel lenses 46 are formed upon the inner surface 66 of thewindow 22. A group fresnel lens 48 surrounds the individual fresnellenses 46 and is likewise formed upon the inner surface 66 of the window22. Thus, the outer surface 68 of the window 22 may be formed in arelatively smooth fashion.

Having thus described the structure of the heated massage therapy device10 of the present invention, it may be useful to describe the operationthereof. The heated massage therapy unit 10 is normally stored upon thestand 12 with the power supply 14 plugged into an electrical outlet.Thus, the rechargeable battery 34 receives electricity through contacts38 and 40 to facilitate recharging thereof.

A user may simply grasp the handle portion 18 of the heated massagetherapy device 10, contacting the nipples 54 thereof. The nipples 54formed upon the handle 18 facilitate firm grasping of the handle portion18, even when the user's hand is slippery, as when contemporaneouslyapplying lotion or medication therewith. The switch 52 is moved to thedesired setting whereby vibration and/or infrared heat may be applied toselected portions of the user's anatomy. Placing the switch 52 in aposition to effect actuation of the electric motor 30 causes rotation ofthe armature thereof, such that the eccentric weight 32 causes thegeneration of vibratory motion, particularly within the head portion 20of the heated massage therapy device. This vibratory motion istransferred to the desired anatomical portion of the user's body throughthe smooth outer surface 68 of the window 22.

Positioning the switch 52 such that the lamps 24 are illuminated causesinfrared radiation to be radiated therefrom. A substantial portion ofthe infrared radiation radiated therefrom is absorbed by the thermalconduction members or hollow posts 44 and therefrom conducted to theouter surface 68 of the heat-conductive window 22 for application toselected anatomical portions of the user's body. A portion of theinfrared radiation not immediately absorbed by the hollow posts 44 isincident upon the infrared reflective surface 28 of the circuit board 26and reflected therefrom back toward the inner surface 66 and hollowposts 44 of the window 22. A substantial portion of this reflectedradiation is then absorbed by the hollow posts 44 and inner surface 66of the window 22 from which it may be thermally conducted to the outersurface 68 thereof.

Individual fresnel lenses 46 formed about each hollow post 44 tend toconcentrate that infrared radiation incident upon the fresnel lens 46 toform localized regions of increased temperature upon the central portionof the outer surface 68 of the heat-conductive window 22. The groupfresnel lens 48 surrounding each of the individual fresnel lenses 46tends to concentrate a portion of the infrared radiation not incidentupon the individual fresnel lenses 46 to cause a further increase in thetemperature of the central portion of the outer surface 68 of the window22. Thus, the efficiency of the infrared radiation absorption andconcentration process is substantially improved thereby.

It is understood that the exemplary heated massage therapy devicedescribed herein and shown in the drawings represents only a presentlypreferred embodiment of the invention. Indeed, various modifications andadditions may be made to such embodiment without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention. For example, the precise arrangementof the lamps need not be precisely as illustrated and described, ratherany configuration which facilitates concentration of the infraredradiation emitted thereby upon the outer surface 68 of the window 22 islikewise suitable. Also, the nipples 54 need not be configured preciselyas illustrated, but rather may be configured in any pattern whichfacilitates the ready grasping and control of the heated massage therapydevice. Thus, these and other modifications may be obvious to thoseskilled in the art and may be implemented to adapt the present inventionfor use in a variety of different applications.

What is claimed is:
 1. A heated message therapy device comprising:a) ahand-held housing having an infrared transparent portion; b) means forgenerating mechanical vibration disposed within said housing, themechanical vibration being transmitted to at least the infraredtransparent portion of said housing, said infrared transparent portionbeing substantially transparent to infrared radiation; c) at least onesource of infrared radiation disposed within said housing, the infraredradiation being applied to at least the infrared transparent portion ofsaid housing; d) a number of first fresnel lenses, the number of firstfresnel lenses corresponding to the number of sources of infraredradiation, formed in the infrared transparent portion of said housingfor concentrating said infrared radiation; e) an infrared radiationreflecting member disposed proximate said infrared radiation sources forreflecting at least one infrared radiation from said infrared radiationsource toward the infrared transparent portion of said housing; and f)at least one thermal conduction member, the number of thermal conductionmembers corresponding substantially to the number of infrared radiationsources, substantially surrounding individual ones of said infraredradiation sources to absorb infrared radiation radiated therefrom andtransfer the heat generated thereby to the infrared transparent portionof said housing.
 2. The heated massage therapy device as claimed inclaim 1 wherein the hand-held housing defines a handle, and wherein thedevice further comprises a cradle configured to receive said hand-heldhousing, said cradle configured to facilitate easy grasping of saidhandle.
 3. The heated massage therapy device as recited in claim 2wherein said source of radiated infrared radiation comprises at leastone lamp, and said reflecting member comprising a reflected surfaceformed upon a circuit board upon which said at least one source ofinfrared radiation is disposed.
 4. The heated massage therapy device asrecited in claim 2 further comprising a plurality of nipples formed uponsaid handle to facilitate holding thereof, said cradle being configuredso as to facilitate grasping said handle via said nipples.
 5. The heatedmassage therapy device as recited in claim 2 further comprising:a) atleast one battery disposed within said housing; b) electrical contactsformed upon said housing; and c) electrical contacts formed upon saidcradle configured to provide electrical interconnection to theelectrical contacts formed upon said housing so as to facilitatecharging of said at least one battery.
 6. A heated message therapydevice comprising:a) a hand-held housing having a substantially infraredtransparent portion thereof, said infrared transparent portion beingsubstantially transparent to infrared radiation; b) means for generatingmechanical vibration being transmitted to at least the substantiallyinfrared transparent portion of said housing; c) at least one source ofinfrared radiation disposed within said housing, the infrared radiationbeing applied to at least the substantially infrared transparent portionof said housing; and d) a number of first fresnel lenses, the number offirst fresnel lenses corresponding to the number of sources of infraredradiation, formed in the substantially infrared transparent portion ofsaid housing for concentrating said infrared radiation.
 7. The heatedmassage therapy device as claimed in claim 6 wherein the hand-heldhousing defines a handle, and wherein the device further comprises acradle configured to receive said hand-held housing, said cradleconfigured to facilitate easy grasping of said handle.
 8. The heatedmassage therapy device as recited in claim 7 wherein said source ofradiated infrared radiation comprises at least one lamp and furthercomprising a reflecting member configured to reflect infrared radiationradiated by said at least one source of infrared radiation toward theinfrared transparent portion of said housing, said reflecting membercomprising a reflected surface formed upon a circuit board upon whichsaid at least one source of infrared radiation is disposed.
 9. Theheated massage therapy device as recited in claim 7 further comprising aplurality of nipples formed upon said handle to facilitate holdingthereof, said cradle being configured so as to facilitate grasping saidhandle via said nipples.
 10. The heated massage therapy device asrecited in claim 7 further comprising:a) at least one battery disposedwithin said housing; b) electrical contacts formed upon said housing;and c) electrical contacts formed upon said cradle configured to provideelectrical interconnection to the electrical contacts formed upon saidhousing so as to facilitate charging of said at least one battery.